Legal threat shuts down GTA game toolkit

Players of Grand Theft Auto are up in arms after legal threats forced the closure of a popular toolkit used to make add-ons or "mods" for the game.

GTA creator Take-Two issued a "cease and desist" letter to Open IV toolkit's creators, saying it aided piracy.

Open IV's Russian developers said they did not have time or energy to go to court so have stopped distributing it.

Gamers have filled GTA forums with criticism of Take-Two for shutting down the long-running mod toolkit.

One player said he hoped the legal claim was a joke, another said it was a "sad day" for GTA fans and a third said Take-Two had removed a "massive selling point" for the PC version of GTA.

Legal limbo